12. Death Related Practices and the American Death System Flashcards
Why does every society establish a death system?
To cope with the challenges that death brings to human existance
What are the elements in a Societal death system?
People
Objects
Places
Symbols
Times
Who are the people involved in a societal death system?
Funeral Directors
Medical Examiners
Lawyers
Florists
What are objects included in a societal death system?
Hearses
Obituaries
Tombstones
What are places in a societal death system?
Cemeteries
Funeral homes
Health Care Institutions
What are symbols in a societal death system?
Skulls
Crossbones
Black armbands
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”
What are important days in a societal death system?
Memorial day
Death anniversaries
Day of the Dead
What is memorial day for?
Day to think / pray for those who died in the line of duty for the country
What are functions in a societal death system?
- To warn and predict
- To work toward social consolidation
- To prevent death
- To help make sense of death
- To care for the dying
- To care for the dead
What’s used to warn and predict death?
Sirens
Flashing Lights
Alerts
What are ways to work toward social consolidation?
Funeral rituals
Bereavement support groups
Who is put in place to prevent death?
Police and security officers
Emergency medical care
Department of Homeland Security
What exists to help make sense of death?
Religious support
Spiritual help
Philosophical programs
What exists to care for the dying?
Hospice
Hospitals
What exists to care for the dead?
Cemeteries
Crematories
What are the types of ways death is caused by people?
Accidents
Homicide
Terrorism
War and Genocide
How many deaths were recorded in 2019 in the Texas Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics?
3,610
What was the economic loss in 2019 according to the Texas Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics?
$39,000,000,000
What are the ages that have highest death rates?
15 to 24 year olds
75 to 84 year olds
85+ year olds
Who has the significantly higher rates of motor vehicle accidents?
Males
What type of grief may survivors of motor vehicle accidents experience?
Complicated grief
What % of homicide approximately occurs between family members?
50%
In homicide what % of cases do victims come from the same race as perpetrator?
90%
What use (or misuse) is strongly correlated with homicide?
Firearms
What is the highest rates of age in homicide?
15 to 24 year olds
What is the second highest rate of age in homicide?
25 to 34 year olds
Who is most likely to be the perpetrators in homicide?
Males
What are two types of Violent Acts?
Terrorism
Genocide
Why do people justify violent acts?
Perpetrated on behalf of some religious, political, or ideological goals / ideals
What act of Genocide happened during the 2 WW
The Holocaust
Who were targeted in the holocaust?
Jewish
Gypsies (aka Romani)
Jehovah’s Witness’ (aka a cult)
Homosexuals
How many people were targeted during the holocaust?
6 million European Jews and Millions of others
What are euphemisms?
Substituting a pleasant or inoffensive word or expression for language viewed as harsher or more offensive
“pleasing ways of speaking”
When are Americans comfortable with death language?
When the events have nothing to do with actual death and dying
What are examples of Americans using death language?
Dead batteries
Being dead drunk
Dead tired
Scared to death
Worried to death
Bored to death
What is the purpose of death related language?
To communicate and learn to accept each other
Emphasis and exaggeration
Dramatization and intensification
Power and dominance
